This looks like a bit like hash tags. So, why not @Khal ?
Anyway, bitcoin can use the syntax it wants, namecoin will store data in it's own format (example: alias/Khal instead of #Khal)


1. Add the Namecoin proposal to the existing BIP 15
2. Choose Namecoin as the solution among others
3. Finalize and validate the Alias specification
4. Explain how to create an alias

I made a mistake in one config file (/etc/bind/named.conf.bit ), sorry.
Here is what it should look like :

I've also updated the code to show php errors in debug mode and set max memory to 200MB.

The main branch is uptodate : https://github.com/namecoin/namecoin
Last signed tag : nc0.3.50.01
My master repo is also stable.

We are currently in the process of a "peering agreement" with OpenNIC (not OpenDNS :p), so, it is a first step in the direction a being supported by opendns and google :p.



I'll make some tests on a clean computer to be sure i've forgotten nothing in the README.

You currently have the default Foxyproxy configuration...
Did you change of profile ? user ? browser ?

You need to add the config again : http://dot-bit.org/How_To_Configure_Foxyproxy

Verify that you have not the "Default" proxy selected (the blue one) but the "Use proxies based on patterns".

Are you sure foxyproxy is still activated ?

I moved the virtual machine to another server, but it doesn't change anything (except best performances), and it's still working for me.
Plus, i don't know what is "http://www.website-unavailable.com/".
Maybe, if foxyproxy is deactivated, your dns provider received the request and redirected you to this page... (you seem to use OpenDNS servers because this is an opendns webpage).

If you want a feature to add existing email addresses and to ckeck if someone really owns it, you insert control and you want someone else to control a registered alias. This is not possible in namecoin because there is no central control (and it must be like that for security reasons !).
What you can do is :
- adding alias with .bit domains, for example : khal@dot-bit.bit or khal@tor.bit
- adding alias with a namecoin mark : khal25@namecoin, manu44@namecoin, khal25@alia
- adding alias without domains : khal25, manu44

This is the case. One registration allows you to associate any kind of data (bitcoin address, namecoin, msn/jabber/xmpp email, nickname, gpg key, website, etc) with a unique "word". See it as an identity manager.

Namecoin works like bitcoin. If you loose your wallet, you loose your keys, you loose you alias (but you have the time to give another one to people you know before it expires. Somebody can still query you and send you bitcoin for example).
What you can do is send the private key/wallet somewhere : on you mail address for example :p

Not the way you imagine it, but yes, it is possible :p

I know it would be convenient to use existing emails addresses but it is only possible if 1 person control the system. Are you sure you really want 1 person controlling 10'000 bitcoin addresses ?

Release of Namecoin v3.50 : faster & better :p

See https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=83793.0

NamecoinToBind v3.0.5

From : https://dot-bit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=315

* Improved compatibility with Domain spec V2 (alias and translate)
* Full rewrite of data import
* Uses new namecoin rpc commands (namecoin v3.50 required)
* Reduced RAM usage (5/20 MBs, except on first run to import all domains : 100MB)
* Faster to run (15/20s on first run, 2s else)
* Config file now supports several ip for the authoritative zone (useful with ipv6 for example)

Readme : https://github.com/khalahan/NamecoinToBind/blob/master/README
Download : https://github.com/khalahan/NamecoinToBind/zipball/v3.0.5

Welcome !

Your .bit requests will go through foxyproxy indeed.
You can try the search engine and also create your own domain :p

Same as bitcoin. Backup your wallet (namecoind.exe backupwallet <filename>) from time to time and keep it on a safe place. Secure your computer, do not run programs named "nuked-pictures.exe", etc

There is a similar feature in this release of namecoin : sendtoname.
You can send namecoins to a name owner. It first gets the address associated with a name and then send coins to this address.

But, adding name_getjson function would be a more complete proof of concept indeed.

For example, you could have this alias registered :

And bitcoin would query it like that :
and namecoin :
The namecoin client can propose to select "khal donation" or "khal default". If default is selected, one is chosen randomly.

The current draft for bitcoin/namecoin aliases says it can return several labels and several addresses. I don't know if this is really useful or not.

What do you think ?

Did you follow this : http://dot-bit.org/InstallAndConfigureNamecoin ?

If you are on windows, this message will not appear and you need to open a second terminal to type commands.

You only need you namecoin wallet to be able to manage your namecoins and your domains. Domain name data is stored in the transactions, in the blockchain and your wallet gives you control on this (same as bitcoin, except there is additional data in tx).

Your names will expire after 36'000 blocks (~250 days) after the last update (name_update command). So, you have 36k blocks to update them. You are the only owner until it reaches 0 block left.
If you let them expire, you must register you domain again (name_new and name_firstupdate), before anybody else do it.
There is no automatic update, but there is a python script that can help you : http://dot-bit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=495.

I'll complete the FAQ if needed :p

The alias feature is mentioned in the BIP 0015 and has been discussed on the bitcoin development mailing list.
I think Namecoin is the perfect solution for aliases because it relies on no external server (no dns server, no forced external service, etc), benefits from the blockchain advantages and would be very easy to add into bitcoin.

PS : BIP 0015 page is locked, so it's not possible so add Namecoin to the list.

But here is the the summary :
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Talk:BIP_0015#Namecoin_aliases

And the Alias specification for Namecoin :
http://dot-bit.org/Namespace:Aliases

No, namecoin is not dead. There is still a lot of work done, on a lot of external tools (proxies, bridges, dns servers, etc) needed for all this to work. And it's not finished . So, that's why there was no new namecoin releases (most of work done on other things). But, using it day to day was a bit frustrating, so, i've written some code to reduce my frustration :p

You can currently browse .bit easily, with Foxyproxy for example : http://dot-bit.org/How_To_Configure_Foxyproxy. But, you must trust my server, so, that's not perfect for everybody.
Our next step is to provide an easy tool to do the same on your computer (like the namecoin bundle).


Rebasing namecoin on bitcoin 0.6.x will be done by vinced if nobody else is volunteer. But, vince is almost disappeared... so any help is welcome.

For the windows build, i've contacted twobits, who built the previous versions. If some body else want to provide binaries for windows and mac, they are welcome too.

For sure, we don't have as much developers as bitcoin :p

Hi bangers.

Indeed, if you register your names with namecoin, you'll need to renew names youself.
You'll also need to have a hosting that allows you to add a .bit.

To transform a registered name into a valid .bit domain, you only need to put a valid json value (you can do it at registration time or later with an update).

Hum, possible (i've an old habit to post here :p). Could someone move it if it fits better in Alt coin ?

Did you test namecoin ? :p

A new version of namecoin is available !

Project : http://dot-bit.org/
Files : http://dot-bit.org/files/

Improved performances :

* New index for names, created at first startup
* Faster name_scan (3x)
* Faster name_list (11x !)

New rpc commands :

* sendtoname : sendtoname <namecoinname> <amount> [comment] [comment-to]
- allow you to send namecoin to last owner of a name

* name_show : name_show <name>
- show only one name (same as name_scan "xx" 1) or nothing of name is not found

* name_filter : name_filter [regexp] [maxage=36000] [from=0] [nb=0] [stat]
- filter names with regular expressions, height of a name (to get only names from last X blocks), to count names, etc
Examples :
* list all unexpired names
namecoind name_filter

* list all names in the d/ namespace
namecoind name_filter "^d/" 0

* list names modified last 150 blocks
namecoind name_filter "^d/" 150

* count names modified last 150 blocks
namecoind name_filter "^d/" 150 0 0 stat

* list 20 names from number 100
namecoind name_filter "" 0 100 20

Other

* name_scan now only returns the minimum of data (8MB instead of 16MB)
* if index of names (nameindexfull.dat) is deleted, it'll be recreated at startup.
* default rpc port updated to not conflict with bitcoin
* config file renamed to namecoin.conf (it's never too late...). Still works with original name. Same for pid file.


Some really useful changes !
NamecoinToBind will be updated soon to benefit from this.

Check it out !  

As if the foxyproxy guy listened to you, he added the automatic configuration method (only visit a link :p) :
http://dot-bit.org/How_To_Configure_Foxyproxy

I think you are right on where we must go. This will need some brainstorming :p
Thanks for your untechnical report